Hello, I'm new to the forums. I'm undiagnosed at the moment. However, I have an appointment for diagnostic evaluation at the end of the month with an autism specialist. I'm writing here because I want to know if any others have encountered some of the same issues I've had. It has been VERY DIFFICULT to get any doctors to take me seriously. They have all admitted they have no prior experience with autism but are quick to say that it is highly unlikely that I fit the criteria for ASD. I've had one therapist who said she most definitely thinks I meet the criteria but she wasn't in a position to be able to give a diagnosis. I've been reading up on ASD for several years. I forget how I first stumbled across it. Once I did I felt like so much in my life had been explained. I've been diagnosed with ADHD by several other doctors. I don't think that accounts for my narrowed interests in highly technical subjects, social impairment, repeating of words and phrases, making up of words and phrases and repeating them, etc. The list literally could go on and on. I feel like I'm a textbook case. I've taken several of the tests online such as the AQ test and the RAADS-R. My scores on those seemed to be on the very high end. I've held two jobs in Silicon Valley but now things are slowly starting to unravel it seems. I've just tried to immerse myself in as much knowledge about the subject as I can because it seems I will be my only advocate in this matter. I'm currently married but it seems like that's going to crap pretty quickly as well. My partner knows I suspect that I have ASD and he is helping me to get this appointment with a specialist. Unfortunately it isn't covered under my insurance so it's all coming out of pocket. My relationship is really suffering though. We've been together almost three years. Things seem to have gotten worse during that time period. I haven't figured out if it was because I was just pushing myself too far and trying to be social when I should respect my boundaries or what. Any suggestions and encouragement from someone who has been where I'm at would be much appreciated. Right now, I feel like I'm the only person who has ever been through what I'm going through and that no one has a clue how I'm feeling.
11 Feb 2016, 12:28 am
